FIFA World Cup

The former central defender tells the-AFC.com all about that historic tournament in France and what he expects from Iran in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. .

The 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium will stage the Lusail Super Cup between Saudi Pro League champions Al Hilal SFC and the Egyptian Premier League winners, followed by a concert.

With no domestic flights required during the tournament, the same top-class facilities will be used throughout the competition. For this edition, therefore, official training sessions the day before matches will also be held at the respective training sites.

With hosts Qatar joined by Saudi Arabia and Islamic Republic of Iran as well as World Cup perennials Japan, Korea Republic and Australia, the-AFC.com takes a look at the state of play in the camp of each of the six teams four months before the big kick-off at Al Bayt Stadium.

We come to the conclusion of this four-part series on the first-ever FIFA World Cup to take place in Asia by examining the legacy of the competition, both in the short term and two decades on.

There was no shortage of star power at the 17th edition of the FIFA World Cup, but there was also no shortage of underwhelming performances. The likes of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Gabriel Batistuta could not help their teams out of the group stage, but new names emerged and established ones cemented their status on the global stage with impressive displays in East Asia.

The 17th edition of the global event had its fair share of moments that will remain part of the FIFA World Cup folklore, and while Korea Republic’s exploits and Saudi Arabia’s learning experience to Germany were of note, those have been covered in Part 1 about Asian teams, we turn our attention next to historic moments elsewhere in the competition.

With the two host nations qualifying automatically, the opportunity arose for the AFC to better its previous record of four teams in France 1998 as Saudi Arabia and China PR booked the two direct tickets to join the hosts, but it wasn’t to be.

Islamic Republic of Iran defeated the United Arab Emirates in the AFC Playoff to reach the Inter-Continental Playoff where they faced Republic of Ireland. Goals from Ian Harte and Robbie Keane in Dublin left Miroslav Blasevic’s men with a mountain to climb in the reverse leg at Azadi Stadium five days later, and a late goal from current Persepolis head coach Yahya Golmohammedi was not enough to overturn things, as Team Melli failed to join the four other Asian nations in the continent's first World Cup.

Held across 10 Match Days from September 2, 2021, to March 29, 2022, as well as last week’s AFC Asian Qualifiers™ - Road to Qatar Playoff between eventual winners Australia and the United Arab Emirates, Asia’s top 12 sides battled across 61 matches with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia eventually clinching the Continent’s four automatic places, before the Socceroos claimed a record sixth AFC spot to join hosts Qatar.

The 33-year-old clowned his way along the goal line as Peru's players prepared to take their penalty kicks and his block of Alex Valera's shot gave Australia a 5-4 win after the two sides had been deadlocked without a goal for 120 minutes.

Australia coach Graham Arnold brought Redmayne on for team captain Mathew Ryan for the final minutes of extra time as a ploy for the shootout.

Hrustic and company needed 120 minutes and some heroic goalkeeping from Andrew Redmayne who was brought on by head coach Graham Arnold to replace Mat Ryan in the 120th minute and rewarded his manager by saving Alex Valera’s penalty to send Australia into the FIFA World Cup.

The playoff ended 0-0 after 120 minutes with Australia prevailing from the penalty spot to qualify for their sixth FIFA World Cup Finals.

The Socceroos join hosts Qatar as well as Saudi Arabia, Japan, Islamic Republic of Iran and Korea Republic in the Finals for the biggest ever AFC contingent on the global stage. They will be placed in Group D alongside France, Denmark and Tunisia.